At the beginning of the crisis, the government promised to compensate all parents. They continue to pay for the rather expensive childcare, even though it cannot be used. A scheme has been set up whereby parents who receive childcare allowance do indeed get their money back. The group that does not receive childcare allowance is completely out of sight in this scheme.

“Because they do not receive childcare allowance and do not pay a personal contribution to the municipality, we do not know exactly who these people are,” said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Social Affairs. “Once we have a more representative picture of who it concerns, we will see if and what is possible.”

“One thing is certain, there is no arrangement now and I fear that there will not be one,” says lawyer Ronnie Eisenmann of the law firm Eisenmann & Ravestijn Advocaten . He has already spoken to several expats who reported the problem to him.

“Legal certainty and equality before the law are seriously affected by this state of affairs,” says Eisenmann . “It is unacceptable that these parents are now left in the dark, while they have followed the government’s advice and continued to pay for childcare.”

Reporting point

A reporting point of the interest group Parents in Childcare (BOinK) has also been set up where parents who fall outside the scheme can register. “We received a response from 700 families within 1.5 days,” says a spokesperson for the association.

“This group of people normally costs the government nothing at all,” he adds. “It is very annoying that these people may now be duped.”

The costs for childcare are between 1,500 and 2,500 per month, depending on how many children you have and how often you use the care, the Boink spokesperson explains.

People who do not fall under the reimbursement scheme are, for example, people with a partner who works abroad, expats or people who choose not to receive benefits.

Bewilderment

Israeli Itay Levy, father of three children (9, 7, and ‘almost 2’) who attend daycare full-time, was stunned when he learned he would not get the money back. In his case it is €6000 for three months.

“I’m afraid I will lose my place at childcare if I don’t pay,” he says. His children are in daycare in Amsterdam, where it is difficult to find a place in childcare.

“If I had known that I might not get my money back, I would have stopped the payments,” he adds. He kept paying because the daycare told him he would get the money back. The daycare will not let him stop his payments now.

“I am very concerned about how this will develop further. I really like the daycare, and my children like going there too, so I hope it will be resolved soon.”